The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-02-17
XLIXth CONGRESS- SECOND SESSION.
SENATE.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 16.

merce, reported back the House river and
harbor bill with amendments and gave notice
he would move to take 1t up Tomorrow after
the morning hour.
On motion of Mr. Evarts the printing of
the testimony being taken in the Texas in
vestigation was ordered printed.
The resolution offered yesterday by Mr..
| Hoar to have the committee on privileges
and election inquire as to whether the dis
trict attorney or marshal OF the western dis
trict of Texas have been attempting to OBJ
struct the investigation, or to intimidate
witnesses was also taken up.
Mr.. Hoar's resolution was adopted by
q party vOte-30 to 10,
Mr.. Stanford addressed the Senate in favor
OF a plan for industrial cooperation.
The Senate then resumed consideration of
the bill to increase the naval establishment
| The question was taken on the amendment
offered yesterday by Mr. Hale, and it was
adopted without division. Other amend
ments were adopted and the bill passed.
1t reads: That President is hereby au-
thOr!zed to have constr4 ted by contract ten
protected steel cruisers with such armament
for each as the Navy Department may deem
suitable; each Of said vessels to have max
imum speed of not less than 20 knots over
measured mile, such speed TO be exhibited
under such test or tests and conditions as
the Navy Department may impose. The
cost OF all Of said cruisers In the aggregate
complete, exclusive of armament, shall not
be more than $15,000,000, which sum is here
by appropriated out of any money in the
treasury not otherwise appropriated, to be
available during five years from March 4,
| 1887.
Sect. 2 That in the construction of the
aforesaid vessels all of the provisions of the
act OF August 3, 1886, entitled San act to in
crease the naval establishment as to mate
RAJ Tor SAID vessels, their engines, boilers
ana machinery. The contracts under which
they are built, the notice of and proposals
i i4r the 81 same, plans, drawings, and specidca-
lions therefor, and the method of executing
said contracts shall be observed and fol-
lowed, and said vessels shall be built in CON-
| pliance with the terms of said act, so far as
the same relate to vessels constructed under
conIract, save that In all their parts they
| snail De OF American manufacture.
| Sect 3. The contract for the construction
OF sald vessels shall contain provisions to the
| erect that the contractor guarantees that
When completed and tested for speed, under
the conditions to be prescribed by the navy
department, the vessels shall exhibit
maximum speed Of at least 20 knots per hour,
and for every quarter knot of speed so ex-
hlbited above said guarantee, the contractor
snail receive a premium over and above his
eohtract price Of $4,000, and for every quar-
ter knot that said vessel fails of reaching
SAID guaranteed speed there shall be dedect-
ed from the contract price the sum of S50,-
QUO, and for the purposes provided in this
section the sum Of S2,000,00O, or so much Of
the same as may be necessary is hereby ap-
propriated out of any money in the treasury
| not otherwise appropriated.
Sect. 4. That for the armament of the
vessels herein before provided for, the sum
of $4,S00,000 is hereby appropriated out of
any money in the treasury not otherwise ap-
propriated to be available during five years
| from March 4, 1897
Sect: 3. In making proposals for contracts
Tor building vessels authorized to be con-
structed under this act it shall be required
| that three OF such vessels shall be built on
| or near the coast of the Pacific ocean, three
| OF them on or near the Gulf of Mexico and
fonrot them on or near the coast of the At
| lantic ocean.
The Senate then resumed consideration of
Mr.. Hales bill to provide for the increase of
the naval establishment ut was Mr.. Cam
eron.s bill with the same title but different
provision that was passed this afternoon.)
Mr. Butler moved to amend by inserting
| after the words, heavily armored vessels"
| the words, "f0r sea service, /" and spoke in
| support of the amendment.
| Mr.. Hale opposed the amendment. He ad-
mitted that If there were to be great sea
nights again, like Trafalgar, the great ar NOR
ed vessels possessed by some Of the Euro
| pean governments would be found to be
most destructive. He spoke of the immense
sums expended by those governments in ex-
| perlmenting on various styles of armor9d
vessels. In a bill framed for that purpose,
he would not object to providing for half
| dozen such ships as the senator from South
Carolina desired to provide for in his amend
ment, but half dozen such ships Ito put the
| American navy in a respectable attitude as
compared with foreign nations) would cost
from $50, 600 to 5000 0,0O0. This bill was
confRed strictly to the defensive, not ag-
| gressiye purposes. He was for defensive
| purposes first and after that il armored
ships were desired, he would favor them.
| But the two features ON which Congress was
now proceedlngweIe fast cruisers-making
| 1t dangerous for other nations to engage in
war with the United States, because their
| pOmmarpp xvpnld ha Of flo
| and coast defences to prevent foreign
| fleets from bombarding the great cities of
the United States, and laying them under
| contribution by having such engines and ma
| fleets.
During the course of the discussion, Mr..
| vest attacked the Republican party for mall
administration of the Navy Department,
saying that there was not in the history of
the civilized world page of maladministra-
ton equal to that Of the Navy Department
| since 1865.
Mr. Hawley defended the past Republi-
can administrations and Secretaries Of the
tombing remedial legislation in the House.
The bill went over without action, Mr..
Hale stating that he would ask vote on it
| tomorrow.
Mr. Blair then offered resolutions in honor
| of his late colleague, Senator Pike, and ad-
| dressed the Senate in eulogistic praise of the
| deceased Senator.
After further eulogies by. Messrs. Ed
munds, Dolph, Manderson, Jones Of Ar
kansas, George Evarts, Palmer and Cheney,
the resolutions were adopted, and the SEN
ate, at 440 o'clock, as further mark Of
respect, adjourned.
HOUSE.
The House insisted upon its amendments
to the Senate trade dollar bill and agreed to
the conference requested by the Senate.
Mr.. Belmont of New York, from the COM
mittee on foreign affairs reported back the
Senate retaliation bill with substitute, the
report OF which was ordered printed and re-
| committed.
Mr.. Belmont gave notice that he would ask
the House to act upon the measure on We'd
nesday next immediately after the reading
| of the journal.
Mr.. Rice, of Massachusetts, gave notice
that he would file the minority report.
The only change in the substitute reported
from that drawn up by the subcommittee Of
the committee on foreign affairs and hereto
fore published aside from the amendments
in phrasology, is the insertion after the pro-
hibition against the entry of any locomo-
motive. car or other vehicle of the words
with any goods that may. be contained
therein The third and last section OF
the subcommittee bill providing for the ap-
| pointment of a commission to take testimony
relative to losses inflicted by the Canadian
authorities or citizens of the United States
is stricken out for the reason that bill Gov
ering the same ground has been already re
ported by the committee. The report accom-,
panying the substitute is identical with that
drawn up by the subcommittee.
Mr.. Rice, of Massachusetts, from the com
mittee ON foreign affairs reported a resolu
tion calling on the Secretary OF State fol
copies of certain correspondence on file il
his department on the subject Of Venezuelan
claims. Adopted, Mr.. Rice also reported
resolution calling ON the Secretary for infor
nation as to what action has been taken Il
protect the interests of American citizens
whose property was destroyed by insurgent
at Aspinwall. Adopted.
AT 2 o'clock in pursuanc OF a previous or
der, public business was discontinued, an(
Mr. Thomas, of Illinois, called up the Senat'
resolutions expressive of respect to the mem
ory of the late John A. Logan.
: Brief eulogistic addresses on General Lo
gan were delivered by Messrs. Thomas, Nc
Kinley, Randall, Henderson, Of Iowa. Dan
. lei, Of Virginia, Rice, of Massachusett;
: Springer, Adams, Rowell, Cannon, of Ill
nois, Butterworth, Anderson, of Ohio, Ho
/, man, Holman, Cuteheon, McComas Wilson
| of West Virginia, Weaver, of Nebrask;
Rogers. of Arkansas, Osbourne, of Pennsy
. yania. and O'Hara, of North Carolina.
: As a mark of respect to the memory Of tn
deceased, the House at 6.15 o'clock aC
! journed.
1 Throughout the day Mrs. Logan accon
panied nv her son occupied a seat IN the ga
I iery reserved for the use OF the speaker.